Ban Ki-moon tasks African govts on enabling environment

Former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General has called on African heads of government to create the right environment that will enable entrepreneurship to thrive while stressing that social and economic development can only be championed by the private sector.

Ban Ki-moon at AFIF 2017.

The former UN boss made the call in his keynote address delivered at the 11th edition of the Africa Finance & Investment Forum (AFIF) held at the Strathmore University in Nairobi, Kenya.

The AFIF 2017, pan-African meeting of entrepreneurs and investors, gathered over 200 participants to address how to gain access to finance in leading economic sectors of Africa – agriculture and agribusiness, infrastructure, energy, water and healthcare. Over 400 B2B meetings between investors and entrepreneurs were organized during the conference.

Ban Ki-moon said “Social and economic development can only be led by the private sector” and encouraged young entrepreneurs to form alliances and network with their peers, while pointing out that governments should create the right environment for the private sector to operate without restrictions.

Christian Mwijage, Managing Director of EcoAct (Tanzania), won the AFIF Entrepreneurship Award 2017. EcoAct Tanzania, is a social enterprise established to address the challenges of urban waste management, plastic pollution, deforestation and climate change. EcoAct recycles and transforms post consumer waste plastic into durable and environmentally friendly plastic lumber.

Receiving the award, Mwijage said the award will help him to increase his production by 30%, while adding that “Aside from the prize, I’m going back home very empowered thanks to the 2-day training that we have received. This is the best way EMRC is supporting entrepreneurs”.

Entrepreneurs present at the forum learned how to present a business plan, how to pitch and communicate project and how to access funding in Africa.

The training also included a special session about the Japanese Kaizen method, delivered by experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).